Not to mention, not that many pros are going real low with tension - maybe 5 to 10% are, but they are the exception. The pro events I string at still see most racquets being asked to be strung from about 55 to 64 pounds. Both poly and gut and syn gut/multi's included.

The OP was saying that most pros strung at a low tension of <30kg, which is 66lbs. That would be insane for a low tension, is a high tension like 80lbs? I know sampras used gut in the 70's, but he would snap them easily.

This doesn't make sense to me. Most players, after reading articles, etc, if they use a full bed of poly, are under 52lbs and in the 40's and 30's (lb's). A full bed of poly doesn't give you the playability if it isn't under 52. Check out this link:

Maybe referencing this... First of all, and perhaps the biggest obstacle to overcome, is to realize that poly-based strings are designed to perform best at lower tensions. We are talking a tension range in the 30′s – 40′s. The absolute top end of that range would be 52 pounds. Once you go beyond 52, you are entering the point of quickly diminishing returns. I realize this may represent a HUGE shift in thinking for many readers. In fact a majority of you are probably thinking of mailing me a care package of colorful Sharpies so that I can decorate the walls of my padded room, but it is not really that crazy. The fear of low tensions is loss of control. I can assure you from personal experience as well as experience with many local customers, that quality poly-based offerings, PROPERLY INSTALLED, give ample control at these low tensions. I PROMISE this is a true statement. In fact, when all elements are working together (strings/racquet/player) it becomes almost impossible to hit a ball long.

Maybe referencing this... First of all, and perhaps the biggest obstacle to overcome, is to realize that poly-based strings are designed to perform best at lower tensions. We are talking a tension range in the 30′s – 40′s. The absolute top end of that range would be 52 pounds. Once you go beyond 52, you are entering the point of quickly diminishing returns. I realize this may represent a HUGE shift in thinking for many readers. In fact a majority of you are probably thinking of mailing me a care package of colorful Sharpies so that I can decorate the walls of my padded room, but it is not really that crazy. The fear of low tensions is loss of control. I can assure you from personal experience as well as experience with many local customers, that quality poly-based offerings, PROPERLY INSTALLED, give ample control at these low tensions. I PROMISE this is a true statement. In fact, when all elements are working together (strings/racquet/player) it becomes almost impossible to hit a ball long.

Lots of pros string poly and poly hybrids over 50 lbs and a few string them over 60 lbs. Blake, DelPo, Agassi, Cilic, Isner among many over 60 lbs with poly or poly hybrid. Nadal, Davydenko, Djoko and many others in the 50-60 lb range. Federer, Hingis, Jack Sock, Max Mirni, Filippo Volandri among a bunch below 50 lbs.

If you are using poly at 30 lbs or less maybe you would be better served by using natural gut or a good multifilament. Polys were originally designed to improve control and take away power from strong and fast swinging high level players. When recreational players use polys they need to string low to get the same power as what they are used to when they use synthetic gut. Club players have joined the poly craze because the pros use them.

The talk tennis forum has a group of people who discuss at length how polys are meant to be used at 30lbs or maybe 40lbs or less. I have talked to many stringers who say that because of the online hype they get these low tension requests and most often the strings are cut out right afterwards by the player...wasted money. I too have tried the 30-40 lb range thinking that maybe it was true...but am back to 50-55 lbs for my polys.

Was just sifting thru the Pro stringing log book for Miami 2012 and came across the following passage noted below. By the way, the source of the PDF doc is Protennis.us, which looks to be a Luxilon microsite.

[..]

Quote: "Now to the ever popular (but relatively worthless) subject of tensions. I have previously gone to great lengths to investigate whether there is any correlation between tension selection and racquet, string, gender, ranking, surface, etc. and have never found one. Maybe my statistical knowledge or tools are inadequate or maybe I have yet to accidentally stumble upon a set of conditions that would enable me to predict a player’s tension preference. I am, however, personally certain that it will not happen and that tension choice is a simple matter of personal preference sometimes guided by how a player first learned or was taught and practically nothing else. The players included in this analysis are the best in the world and all have efficient and effective swings and use their choice of equipment. Yet their choices are as varied (and as predictable) as their favorite music. a few will make the same choice but are likely to be different in every other respect. So here’s a few tension numbers for those that care :

The huge range between highest and lowest should indicate that it is futile for a recreational player to even think about what might be a ‘good’ tension for him based upon what his favorite pro is using. It is less obvious but equally true that he should not think that an ‘average’ tension of 55lb is a good idea. New players are, in fact, much more likely to find 35lb a much ‘better’ feeling tension and be ‘better’ staying there thereafter..."

I think the far bigger issue, is tension loss. Your average poly, strung at a machine reference tension of 55 LBs is going to somewhere in the low 30's to low 40's within the first 20 good whacks or so. I have a hunch that most of us are already playing in the 30-40 lbs tension range, (especially us poly users) and don't even know it.

Then there is the recent study (Rod Cross, Associate Professor In Physics, University Of Sydney) which demonstrated that 11 out of 18 Pro satellite players could not could not distinguish a difference of 11 lbs. provided they did not have auditory cues which would help determine string tension.

I think the far bigger issue, is tension loss. Your average poly strung at a machine reference tension of 55 LBs is going to somewhere in the low 30's to low 40's within the first 20 good whacks or so. I have a hunch that most of us are already playing in the 30-40 lbs tension range, (especially us poly users) and don't even know it.

Jack

Click to expand...

This is accurate. If the machine strings at 55 the actual tension of the string rapidly goes down to probably 30-40s almost immediately...not sure if it happens from the string settling, or just from the poly losing elasticity.

This is different from when people string at 30. If you string at 30 you will also lose tension after playing and stringing...maybe you will be closer to 20 lbs. It is quite evident when you string at 30 it is much looser than poly that was strung at 55 and remained in the racquet for a year, or was played with for 10-20 hours...I have tried both.

My opinion is that because there is a great initial loss of tension in poly regardless...just from the stringing process and underlying loss of elasticity, the difference between poly at 55 and poly at 35 is much less than the difference of a multi or gut at the 20 lbs difference. This allows for greater latitude in string tension when using poly. I'm sure that someone has ERT measurements or such to validate this finding.

#2) the machines used are (also) top-notch and clalibrated (or checked) daily - if not twice a day, etc. - most "common-shops" / home-stringers, don't even have a calibrator, (or know how to adjust if not correct) so they've actually no idea if they are 'true' or not..

#3) the Tour Players string for a tension that 'feels' great NOW! and change often after a few sets, sets...